Swingletree-clasp.



No. 728,947. v PATENTED MAY 26, 1,903. 0. LORENZ. SWINGLETREB CLASP.

APPLICATION rum) 11017.11. 1902. 16010021..

UNTTnn STATES Patented May 26, 1903.

OTTO LORENZ, OF MELKOW, GERMANY.

SWINGLETRE'E-CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 728,947, dated May 26,1903. Application filed November 11, 1902. Serial No. 130,873. (Nomodel) To all 1071,0111. it may concern:

Be it known that I, OTTO LORENZ, smith, a subject of the King ofPrussia, German Emperor, residing at Melkow, near Schonhausen, Elbe,Germany, have invented a new and usefulImprovementin Clasps onswingletrees, of which the following is a specification.

My invention refers to clasps on swingletrees or swing-bars or suchlike. Its purpose is to avoid those imperfections which the hithertousual clasps have-namely, the fixing when hot, whereby the wood of theswingletree has to be exactly fitted beforehand. Then the charred partsof the wood caused by the hot clasps have an unsightly appearance if notpainted. Further, when fixing the assistance of a smith was alwaysnecessary, also when tightening loose clasps or changing the same. Stillmore difficult was the work when the middle clasp had to be renewed, asthen an end clasp had to be removed. Besides this all the clasps must berenewed when their front parts have been worn out by the constantfriction of the draw-chains.

In the annexed drawings a clasp according to this invention isrepresented.

Figure 1 shows a clasp in one piece from a side View. Fig. 2 shows thesame in a front view. Fig. 3 shows a clasp consisting of several partsfrom a side view. Fig. 4 shows the same seen from above. Fig. 5 shows aclasp consisting of several connected parts in a side view. Fig. 6 showsthe drawing arrangement of a carriage for two horses provided with thenew invention.

Instead of the welded hitherto usual ringlike clasp I form the clasp sothat the two front parts a are free and stand off from the wood I) ofthe swingletree 0 like a fork. The other parts at the back are nowconnected to each other in a suitable manner, either by a spring-likeband d, Figs. 1 and2, by a screw 6, Figs. 3 and 4, or bya hingef, Fig.5. Close to the Wood b in the front part is a screw g, by means of whichafter the parts are placed loose around the wood b they can be screwedtightly and in this manner securely fastened to the wood. When the wood-gets dry, causing the clasp to become loose, then a tightening of thescrew 9 is only necessary in order to fasten the clasp again without thehelp of a smith. In the front part of the ends there is a bolt or screwit provided, on which the draw-chain of the animal fastens. To preventthis screw from being worn, it passes through a metal piece 7:, placedbetween the free ends a, so that the friction of the draw-chain onlyafiects this piece 1'. As this-piece z is very easily changed, a claspof this kind is of almost unlimited duration.

What I claim as myinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a clasp on swingletrees the combination of two curved parts each parthaving on each end a projecting jaw provided with coincident holes, withscrew-bolts in said holes and a metal piece surrounding the boltcatching the draw-chain, as and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twoWitnesses.

OTTO LORENZ.

WVitnesses:

J AMES BURRELL, Enron PETERS.

